Rajat Patidar’s absence from India’s T20I squad has stirred debate, with his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) appearing to make a pointed comment through social media.
The omission
The BCCI selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, named squads for the T20I series against Ireland and England and for the Asian Games. Patidar was not among those chosen, which surprised many fans and pundits. The right-hander had just led RCB to back-to-back IPL titles, making him only the third captain after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to do so.
In IPL 2026 he scored 501 runs in 15 matches at an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 192.69, with five half-centuries.
RCB’s post
After the announcement, RCB shared a graphic of their captain’s record since 2024. It showed 1,208 runs from 41 innings, including 12 half-centuries. The post also highlighted:
- 89 sixes in that period, the most by an Indian non-opener
- A strike rate of 172.57, the best among Indian non-openers with 500-plus runs
- 74.25 per cent of his IPL 2026 runs coming in boundaries, the highest for an Indian middle-order batter
Agarkar’s response
Asked whether Patidar had been discussed in the selection meeting, Agarkar said a host of players had been considered and that the panel felt the chosen 15 were deserving. He pointed to the depth of talent in India, accepted that some players will always miss out, and said the committee was happy with the squad.
